Foldable container



Nov. 20, 1934 M. BLITZ, BORN sPlER FOLDABLE CONTAINER NOV. 20, l934 M. BLITZ, BORN SPIER FOLDABLE CONTAINER Filed July 8, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 20, 1934 PATENT oFF1cE k Y FOLDAB'LE CONTAINER "Belgium Blitz, '1min spier, New verk', N; Y.

- Application July s, 1933, serial No. 679,514 y Y In Germany July 11, 1932 `6 claims.

This invention relates to a container in the shape of a box, which is. foldable' and is provided with double'walls capable of being folded down. i

The invention is adapted-to provide a container of this kind, the properties and shape of which can be suitably adapted, in each case, t0 the contents.

According to thev invention, the side walls se- '10" cured to the rigid bottom of the container by one of their sides, assembled together by the two sides adjacent to the said side and which, in the known manner, are made of a flexible material,

such as a fabric, for instance, are each connectedl 1'5' by their other side to a plate of rigid material' having the same dimensions as the side wall corresponding thereto, said plates not being connected together. For the purpose of constituting a container having rigid walls, these plates are `folded down inwardly and bear in their folded down position, by their upper edge, against the bottom of the container, thus stretching the side flexible walls, whilst in their raised position, they constitute a cover or lid for the container the iside walls of which are flexible.

The plates, made of` rigid material and pivoted to the upper edges of the side walls of flexible material, permits the use of the container either with its side walls rendered rigid, or with its flexible side walls and with a closing lid.

In the rst case, however, thev container having side walls rendered rigid is open at the top, and its eventual contents are readily accessible and can be damaged; for remedying this incon 'venience according to the invention,'a lid is pivoted, by means of foldable intermediate members, to the container, in such a manner that this rigid container is also provided with a lid which, if need be, can be pushed into the convtainer in order to be put out of the way or to form a double bottom.

The accompanying drawings, given by way of example only, illustrates a form of carrying the invention into practice.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the container in open position.

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the open container, but when the lid is folded down for constituting a double bottom.

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the container 'when the rigidk plates pivoted to the edges of the walls are raised.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the container when said rigid plates are raised, the walls being "f01ded.

Fig.V 5 is a perspective view of the container in folded position.

The container illustrated in the accompanying drawings comprises a rigid bottom 1 andv side walls 2 and 3 made of iiexible or `soft material, 60 such as fabric for instance, and each side wall is secured at each end to the end of the adjacent side wall. To the upper edges of each side wall are pivoted rigid plates 4 and 5 capable of being folded down, said plates 4 and 5 being of the 65 same dimensions as the corresponding side walls and are not connected together. The plates 4 and 5, which can serve as a closing lid when the container is used with flexible side walls, are provid-ed with closing members 6 for removably 70 connecting them together in pairs.

A lid 7, made of rigid material, is pivoted, by means of foldable intermediate members 8, to one of the edges of the container, these members 8 being constituted by strips which can be secured, at one of their ends, to the said edge of the container, and each pass in two sliders 9 arranged on the edges of the lid 7, a small bar 10, secured to the free end of each of the strips 8, holding the lid 7. The lid 7 can be secured in another s0 position by means of press-buttons 11 and 12 for holding the folded strips 8 in such a position thate they act as hinges for said lid '7.

When the lid '1 is held on the strips 8 by the small bars 10, it can be folded down, owing to the length ofthe strips 8, against the bottom 1 and thus constitutes a double bottom (Fig. 2). On the contrary, when the strips 8 are folded and held by the press-buttons 11 and 12 (Fig. 1), the said lid '7 can pivot as it would do about a hinge.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A foldable container, comprising in combination: a rigid bottom, side walls, made of flexible material, secured to said bottom by one of their sides and each side wall secured at each end to the end of each adjacent side wall, and rigid plates pivoted to the free sides of the side walls and havingthe same dimensions asthe side wall corresponding thereto.

2. A foldable container, comprising in combination: a rigid bottom, side walls, made of flexible material, secured to said bottom by one of their .sides each side wall secured at each end to the end of each adjacent side wall, rigid plates, pivoted to the free sides of the side walls in order that said plates may be folded down inwardly to bear against the bottom to extend the exible side walls, and closing members on the free edges of said rigid plates in order that, in their raised position, they constitute the lid of the container.

3. A foldable container, comprising in combination: a rigid bottom, side Walls, made of flexible material, secured to said bottom by one of their sides each side Wall secured at each end to the end of each adjacent side Wall, rigid plates pivoted to the free sides of the side Walls, a lid, and means secured on the top of the container for allowing pivotal movement of the said lid in order that the lid will serve as a closure and for allowing slidable movement of the lid in order that it can serve as a false bottom for the container.

4. A foldable container, comprising in combination: a rigid bottom, side Walls, made of flexible material, secured to said bottom by one of their sides each side wall seemed at each end to the end of each adjacent side Wall, rigid plates pivoted to the free sides of the side Walls, a lid, strips secured at one of their ends to the edge of said container, and means for slidably mounting the lid on said strips so that in one position the strips act as a hinge and when in an extended position permit the lid being arranged in the container to form a false bottom therefor.

5. A foldable container, comprising in combination: a rigid bottom, side Walls, made of flexible material, secured to said bottom by one of their sides each side Wall secured at each end to the end of each adjacent side Wall, rigid plates pivoted to the free sides of the side Walls, a lid, strips secured at one of their ends to the edge of said container, sliders arranged on said lid for the passage of said strips, and a small bar at the end of said strips for holding said lid and allowing it to be folded down within the container against the bottom of the same.

6. A foldable container, comprising in combination: a rigid bottom, side Walls, made of flexible material, secured to said bottom by one of their sides each side wall secured at each end to the end of each adjacent side Wall, rigid plates pivoted to the free sides of the side Walls, a lid, strips secured by one of their ends to the edge of said container, sliders arranged on said lid for the passage of said strips, a small bar at the end of said strips, and press-buttons on said strips for holding them in folded position and allowing said lid to be hinged to the container.

MARTHA BLITZ, BORN SPIER. 

